One place where Simon Cowell won’t be landing this season following the cancellation of the U.S. version of his The X Factor: American Idol. “No, he’s not going to be on the show at all,” Idol executive producer Per Blankenssaid today during a press event on the show’s new LA set. “I’ve heard he’s going to the UK to do X Factor,” he added. (He is.) The possibility of Cowell’s return after Fox last week axed X Factor was as one of several topics addressed in a sit-down with new Idol EPs Blankens, Jesse Ignjatovic and Evan Prager. The trio was joined by Idol’s new director Louis J. Horvitz, set designer Baz Halpin, and returning EP and FremantleMedia president of entertainment programming Trish Kinane. Also there was Fox’s David Hill, the Senior EVP of 21st Century Fox and former chairman and CEO of Fox Sports who was put in charge of the show and the now cancelled X-Factor in early June.

Season 13 of Idol launched to a premiere low January 15 as the show has been trying to get its once mighty mojo back with a reconfigured judging panel and new showrunners. The show moves into its live shows next week, going head-to-head with NBC’s Sochi Olympics. That isn’t a big worry, Blankens told me. “The ratings are doing OK considering and there is really nothing you can do about the Olympics — we knew when we did the schedule that we’d be facing it. Added Kinane: “The ratings have stabilized and we’re very happy with where they are against the Olympics. We’re up over where we were in 2010,” she said.

Recent Comments

Thankfully we have your opinion. I don't know what we'd all do without it.

S.A.K.

1 year

For this rate, I don't blame Simon for returning to Idol. Ever since Randy left, the show...

layne Anderson

1 year

You don't consider Adam Lambert or Chris Daughtry to be successful? Not to mention Phillip Phillips, David...

“What we hope with the live shows next week and going forward is that we can reconnect with the fans and get them to come back home,” Blankens said. “A lot of people love Idol but I think they didn’t approve of the way some things went last year.” Among the format tweaks: for the live shows beginning Wednesday viewers will be able to vote at the beginning of the show as opposed to the end as in past seasons.

Formerly the EP for the Swedish version of Idol, Blankens was named as EP last June to replace the dismissed Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick. The overhaul of the veteran reality show after a rocky Season 12 continued with the addition of Ignjatovic and Prager soon afterward. The duo, who go by the moniker Den Of Thieves, were appointed by 19 Entertainment. Fox’s deal with FremantleMedia North America and 19 ensures that each of the two producing companies appoints an EP who oversees the series in tandem. Ignjatovic and Prager came from a rich live producing background including the MTV Video Music Awards, MTV Movie Awards, CMT Awards, Critics’ Choice Movie Awards and VH1 Divas. Horvitz was named Idol’s new director in late December of last yearhaving helmed the Academy Awards, the Emmys, the Grammys and the Kennedy Center Honors.

15 Comments

James • on Feb 14, 2014 12:31 pm

Idol ratings fell down two tenths from last Thursday’s on 9.8 Million views, where do you figure the ratings are steady, Idol is losing it views on a weekly rate each week, AT&T already pull the plug on the show due to poor TV ratings, Ford & Coke will soon follow?

SallyinChicago • on Feb 14, 2014 12:31 pm

I love the new AI….love the format and the judges, esp. Harry.

Sichuan • on Feb 14, 2014 12:31 pm

How STUPID!! Don’t they realize ratings would be BETTER if they brought Simon back next year? Anyone who thinks the current panel of three cushy artists is better than the Fab Three of Simon, Paula, and Randy, and will bring the show back to its heyday is only kidding themselves. The KING, the face, the voice, the MAN of American Idol is available; grab him while you can and make the show REAL and exciting again.

JJ • on Feb 14, 2014 12:31 pm

You do realize that AI’s ratings were going down when Simon was on it and viewers showed zero interest in his presence on a singing competition with X-Factor.

The Simon Era was a great one and one that passed. His return won’t gain viewers. They need to find a star. End of story. The show hasn’t produced a star since Carrie Underwood…arguably Jordin Sparks…and no Phillip Phillips is NOT a star.

Simon needs to stay in the UK and try to fix UK X-Factor.

David4 • on Feb 14, 2014 12:31 pm

The Voice has never had a star and is a huge hit. So your logic is flawed.

layne Anderson • on Feb 14, 2014 12:31 pm

You don’t consider Adam Lambert or Chris Daughtry to be successful? Not to mention Phillip Phillips, David Cook,Scotty Mcreery, Kellie Pickler, David Archuleta…who have been pretty successful compared to other non-American Idol singers.

johnqpublic • on Feb 14, 2014 12:31 pm

Thankfully we have your opinion. I don’t know what we’d all do without it.

Jake • on Feb 14, 2014 12:31 pm

Ratings are fine. At and t might have pulled out when they decided to put a cap on voting

daniel pena • on Feb 14, 2014 12:31 pm

There Go Ol’ Flat-top.

Bob the Builder • on Feb 14, 2014 12:31 pm

Thank you, FOX, for this Valentine’s Day gift!

Eddie • on Feb 14, 2014 12:31 pm

Idol executive producer EPs Blankens, Jesse Ignjatovic and Evan Prager and Idol’s new director Louis J. Horv, don’t have clue how to bring up the Idol TV ratings, first of all if they would check the history of one of their judges they brought back for season 13, JLo, they would find out that when she was on season 10 & 11, Idol had the worst TV ratings in Idol history???? Not only that, the Idol executives back her up on show called “Que Viva” “The Chosen” which was supposed to be the Latin version of Idol, that didn’t even make the ratings and was cancelled by Fox on May 14, 2012 after 6 episodes., and after all three of these failed attempt season with Jo, and when Jlo got busted by the Human Rights Foundation with being associated and performing with the worst dictators in the world for 10 million, and with all the international bad publicity they still were convince she would be a good judge for Idol for season 13??? Are you kidding???What are these executives’ producers thinking???? No wonder why one of the main sponsors AT&T bail out of sponsorship for Idol. Idol deserves to fail, not because of the show, because of the people making the decision for show????

dale • on Feb 14, 2014 12:31 pm

they REALLY needed to bring in Adam Lambert and another under 40 judge to join the wise and likable Keith Urban. I like Harry’s sarcasm, most of the time, but he gets on my nerves eventually, and he definitely is full of himself, which gets to be too much, lol. As for JLo, um, WHY!???? She’s boring and adds nothing.

Jed • on Feb 14, 2014 12:31 pm

Let Cowell just go back to Britain and host whatever the hell it is that he is hosting there. Hasn’t he done enough damage to two shows as it was? The ego-maniac twit.

I Vote Yes • on Feb 14, 2014 12:31 pm

The Judges are terrific and informative and this group of new talent is terrific! You’re going see some breakouts. To the professional “Snarks” who can’t see beyond their short-sighted computer blasts, this is a “talent show” — It’s one of the greatest platforms to kick-start a career. Just sit back and enjoy the show! It’s free! And, where better for new talent show their stuff!!!

S.A.K. • on Feb 14, 2014 12:31 pm

For this rate, I don’t blame Simon for returning to Idol. Ever since Randy left, the show has been turned into much more garbage.